Fishing Report: 09.16.06

Aransas/Redfish Bays and northward - Uprooting seagrass with
an outboard propeller is unlawful in the Redfish Bay State Scientific
Area. Trout were caught this week along the shorelines including the
backside of San Jose Island, in depths of 4-5 foot. Reds were up tight
against shorelines and in the back lakes thanks to somewhat higher
tides. Tailing fish were easy to find. Drum continue to be good on
shrimp in San Antonio Bay, along with redfish and trout with either
shrimp or croaker Friday. Aggressive schools of jack crevalles also
remain in San Antonio Bay with lures. Copano Bay's west shore produced
on topwater plugs and piggies. Anglers continue to catch trout at the
wells and deeper reefs of Aransas and Copano bays with croaker and
piggies. The calm San Jose surf also produced trout on piggies and
croaker. Trout continue to be caught at the deeper reefs of Copano, San
Antonio and Aransas bays, mostly with croaker or piggies. A few reds
and drum also were caught this week in San Antonio Bay. Tides remain
fairly low so guts and channels held redfish, as did Morris &
Cummings Cut and the Lydia Ann Channel. Spoil shorelines, wells and
reefs of Aransas Bay also produced trout with croaker.

Port Aransas - The jetties produced a mix of reds and sharks,
with a few trout and drum, East Flats continue to hold redfish this
week. They're in easy-to-spot schools on calm mornings. The backside of
Mustang Island near Shamrock also held reds and a few trout along the
outside drop-offs and channels. Most were caught with piggies and
croaker. The Jetty Boat is running out of Fisherman's Wharf (749-5448).
The San Jose and Mustang surf held trout, reds, whiting, ladyfish and
mackerel this week. Mangrove snapper were scattered along bulkheads and
sunken boats with live shrimp and small piggies. East Flat had redfish
this week in seagrass and potholes. Edges of the Ship Channel and
sections of the ICW were good for trout during moving tides this week.
Most anglers used croaker. Deeper sections of Brown & Root Flats,
Lighthouse Lakes and Stedmans continue to hold redfish near shallow
water and trout in deeper sections. Horace Caldwell Pier reported
whiting, small sharks, Spanish mackerel, kingfish, sand trout and reds.
Call (361) 749-2828.

Gulf beachfront - Redfish were plentiful in Packery Channel
earlier this week. Surf fishing was spotty this week, with anglers
reporting catches of whiting, trout, reds and ladyfish in spots from
just below Bob Hall Pier and down south on PINS. Water clarity is good
and floating weed is not a problem. Packery continues to produce a mix
of kings, mackeral, redfish and trout. Anglers also caught jacks,
tarpon, sharks, Spanish mackerel, ladyfish, wherever bait and birds
were evident. Driving is OK along the National Seashore and other area
beaches, except at high tide. Anglers on Bob Hall Pier this week caught
reds, a few kings, nighttime sharks and trout and they hooked a few
tarpon. They also caught whiting, Spanish mackerel and nighttime drum.
Bait is plentiful in the surf. Bob Pier's bait & tackle shop and
Sunset Grill is open daily 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Call 949-8558 or check
www.bobhallpier.net or www.corpusfishing.com.

Corpus Christi/Nueces Bays - Schools of reds continue to be
seen in the Boathole, Kate's Hole, Deadman's Hole and other spots along
the backside of the island. Some nice trout also were caught in the
Boathole. No report on the bayfront this week. Anglers had been
catching drum and mangrove snapper along breakwater rocks along the
Corpus Christi Bayfront. Live shrimp worked well. Trout are near the
wells of Corpus Christi Bay on calm mornings. Trout were near the reefs
throughout Nueces Bay this week. Reds and drum also were caught this
week at mid-bay and front reefs of Nueces Bay. Trout were scattered in
deeper water near the bridge. The wells of Corpus Christi Bay also
produced trout and a few gafftop during calm mornings on shrimp or
piggies. Shamrock produced reds on live shrimp, piggies, mullet,
croaker or soft plastics in deeper sections. The back lakes held reds
with higher tides. Around Ingleside, the outside of Dagger Flats and
Ransom Island produced scattered trout and reds. Reds are along the
backside of Mustang Island along channels. Most fish were caught with
live shrimp or mullet, croaker or soft plastics. At Clem's Pier
(949-8445) this week nighttime anglers caught mostly trout, mangrove
snapper and occasional flounder.

Laguna Madre/Baffin Bay - Redfish schools still are cruising the
clear water along Laguna Shores and Sulphur Road and along grassy flats
southward. Anglers used gold spoons, soft plastics and piggies to catch
them. Trout were caught along Rocky Slough and Baffin's south shore
with live shrimp and piggies. Penescal held scattered trout for
drifteers this week with a few reds and drum mixed in. There are big
schools of drum in Nine-Mile Hole, Meadows and Yarborough. Baffin's
deeper center rocks held trout and reds this week. Still plenty of
small trout with big ones mixed in. The Landcut produced a modest mix
of trout, drum and reds. Mostly nighttime trout and small reds were
caught this week at Marker 37 Pier (949-8037). Cos Way (939-7513) and
Red Dot (937-5347) piers reported mostly reds and small specks, with a
few drum and mostly at night.

Choke Canyon Reservoir - Early morning buzzbaits produced
bass this week over in submerged grass along banks near South Shore.
But it's a short bite. The outside edges of shoreline grass produced
bass later and into mid-morning. Later, bass fishing was fair in
hardwoods with Texas-rigged lizards. Catfishing has been good with most
fish coming from under roosting birds and along riverbeds in nearby
hardwoods. Crappie and white bass fishing has been spotty. Visit
www.tpwd.state.tx.us/ park/choke/choke.htm.

Coleto Creek - Bass are being caught with spinnerbaits over
submerged grass in coves and creeks early. Later, crankbaits caught
fish in five-foot depths in the same areas. Later, outside grass lines
produced with Texas-rigged soft plastics. Deeper grass continue to
produce bass into mid-morning. The hybrid bass fishing at the Dike II
discharge has slowed. Check out www.coletocreekcabins.com.

Lake Corpus Christi - The alternate boat ramp at Fiesta
Marina is operable. No new report. This past week, catfish were caught
with clams near Chula Vista and white bass hit spec rigs in the Aero
Vista park area, near Chula Vista Point and near the abbey.